COLAM’s Inter-American Training Networks (RIF) are university consortia that jointly offer academic programs fostering an inter-American, interdisciplinary and intercultural perspective on topics of continental interest. The programs encourage the use of Information Technologies and are directed at professors and university researchers, graduate students, professionals from the public and private sectors, and civil society.
Objective
The general objective of RIFs is to implement inter-American graduate programs relevant to the development of the American continent. More specifically, RIFs encourage teacher and student mobility as well as the intensive use of Information Technologies. Models for cooperation between RIFs are numerous and varied. These models promote master’s and permanent education programs as well as professional development or continuing education courses and diplomas. There are several ways for IOHE universities to become associated with the networks’ academic products, whether by coordinating the networks, developing the networks’ academic programs, tutoring online courses, or becoming direct beneficiaries of the networks’ activities.
COLAM’s RIFs are:
REDET – Social Determinants of Health
RIF-GAE – Environmental Management and Ecotourism
RIF-MD – Women and Development
RIF-ET – Education and Telematics
RIF-FOEI – Training for Trainers in Indigenous Education
RICBLU – Connectivity of University Libraries
RIF-GE – Electronic Government
RIFOMA – Teacher Training
The College of the Americas is developing inter-American training networks that reflect a global vision of governance, thanks to a grant from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) awarded to the IOHE, in October 2006.